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“You have fun at Logan’s last night?” he asks out of the blue.
Oh. I’m surprised he wants to make conversation with me. “Minus having to fight over a chair with some random guy, yeah. I had a good time.”
I’m lying. I had one drink and then was desperate to go home, mentally vowing to never return to Logan’s again. I stuck it out for Natalie’s sake—and the fact that I didn’t want to leave alone. I acted like I was having a decent time, a fake smile plastered on my face, as I clutched a glass of Sprite while saying it was vodka and soda to whoever asked.
People who drink at bars don’t seem to like seeing people who remain sober, so I’ve learned to pretend I’m getting drunk with the rest of them.
“Ha, nice one.” He smiles, and it’s just…wow. I’m momentarily struck by how his entire face lights up, and his greenish eyes sparkle. He has nice teeth. A nice mouth. Sharp cheekbones and a square jaw. A nose that’s perfectly proportioned to his face. Thick brows and long eyelashes and holy shit, I am blatantly staring at him like a lust-filled groupie.
Blinking, I turn away from him, reshelving the last calculator before I head for the cashier counter. He keeps pace beside me, his strides long, which causes him to gain a few steps ahead, and I scurry to catch up to him.
“This calculator is more money, I’m afraid,” I say as I shift behind the counter, lifting up the package.
“Figures. I’m cool with it.” He sets the old calculator on the counter, along with the receipt.
I run through the transaction, making the exchange, trying my best to be efficient while he just watches me. It’s a completely different interaction from yesterday when he got on his phone and immediately forgot all about me.
Honestly, I don’t know which one was worse.
“Okay.” I hand him the new receipt and he signs the bottom of it. “Hopefully this is the right calculator.”
“It better be. Almost feels like she’s messing with me.” That smile of his is still on his face and I try not to look at him straight on, in fear of what I might do if I allow that pretty smile to influence me in any way.
I might say something stupid, like “let’s go make out,” which would be completely embarrassing.
Especially when I know he’ll reject me.
“Well, thank you.” I hand him the bag with his new purchase and he takes it, though he doesn’t walk away from me or say, ha ha,you’re welcome,like he did last time.
“Hey, I just wanted to say I’m sorry about what happened last night.” The solemn expression on his handsome face tells me he means business. “I didn’t mean to steal that chair from you.”
“Oh.” His apology surprises me. I figured he didn’t think he did anything wrong. “It’s okay. Really.”
“I hope you weren’t embarrassed.” He visibly swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “That was never my intention.”
“I wasn’t that embarrassed. Only a little bit.” I try to smile.
He does too.
“Am I forgiven?”
If Knox keeps looking at me like that, he could murder my parents right in front of me and I’d probably forgive him. “Definitely.”
“Whew. Good. Don’t want any bad karma haunting me as I go about my day.” He lifts the bag he’s holding. “Thanks again for your help.”
“You’re welcome.” Knox starts to walk away and I call out, “Have a nice day!”
He glances over his shoulder, that devastating grin still on his face. “You too.”
The moment he’s exited the bookstore, I slump against the counter, a shaky exhale leaving me.
“What was pretty boy Maguire doing here again?” Leon asks, magically appearing beside me.
I narrow my eyes at my co-worker. “Where did you run off to?”
“I had to go into the back real quick to check on something. Never even saw him come in.” Leon curls his arms in front of his chest, his gaze on the store entrance. “A visit from the famous football star two days in a row? Very suspicious.”
“He bought the wrong calculator for his statistics class,” I explain.
